Parramatta Light Rail to stop at Westmead Hospital

17 Feb 2017

The new Parramatta Light Rail will stop at Westmead Hospital, the NSW Premier has revealed.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian joined Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance on February 17 to unveil the preferred route for the first stage of Parramatta Light Rail, to join Westmead to Parramatta and Carlingford via Camellia.

There will be stops at Westmead Hospital and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, ensuring patients, visitors and staff are more easily able to access the hospital.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said the proposed 16 accessible stops would operate services from early morning to late at night, every seven and a half minutes throughout the day.

“Customers won’t have to wait long for a service, they’ll tap on with Opal and board with ease and comfort,” he said.

“There’ll also be extra services for special events and we are planning for the system as a whole to be capable of carrying 10,000 people an hour.”

View the Parramatta Light Rail route video

Western Sydney Local Health District chief executive Danny O'Connor said the light rail reinforced Westmead’s role as part of Australia’s booming city - Parramatta.

"The connection between the Westmead precinct, Parramatta CBD and the surrounding urban transformation is important to support social and economic growth and reinforce this vibrant business district as a geographical, commercial and cultural centre and an engine for jobs and innovation," he said.

"We have been working closely with the Parramatta Light Rail team to ensure this great new service benefits our patients, families, staff, students, researchers and our broader community.

"Parramatta Light Rail is an important addition to the transport mix at Westmead and supports our vision for Westmead as a liveable and workable health and education city that will continue to attract the best minds from across Australia and around the world."

Planning work for stage two of the project, from Camellia to Strathfield via Sydney Olympic Park, is being developed in collaboration with Sydney Metro West. Stage two planning work is expected to be finalised by the end of 2017.

Parramatta MP Geoff Lee said the new light rail line would bring in a new wave of investors to strengthen and revitalise city centres.

“I have worked tirelessly to get the best for the people of Parramatta and I am delighted that the community is now another step closer to having its very own light rail service,” Mr Lee said.